Three Mistakes – Goffstown at Merrimack

Three Mistakes – Goffstown at Merrimack – December 16, 2024

I thought the Goffstown Grizzlies were the better team on the ice for most of the night. But most of the night didn’t equal an opening night victory.

 

 

To start the 2024-2025 season I want to go back to what I wrote in March of 2024. For all of the players on the Goffstown Grizzlies hockey roster this season, there is continuity. This is the 25th season of Goffstown hockey and each player is connected. Each season is connected to all of the seasons.

So a sentiment to finish one season might be a reason or an inspiration to elevate the players, the team, to elevate the program, and set the course of future achievement. The following two paragraphs were written at the close of last season. Perhaps they are an accurate assessment, perhaps they are not. Either way, one team moved forward. One team did not. Yet, here we are with a season brimming in possibility.

It wasn’t too be for the Grizzlies. For me, there were too many unforced turnovers and fly-by’s, and they were a tick below their opponents physicality, grit and determination. Sometime during the final period, I wrote, “Value the possession!!!”

Goffstown is a talented team, and hopefully they will return all of their players, and build on this experience. Usually, the winners of the ultimate prize have lost plenty along the way. They’ve faced adversity, and then upped their game to overcome those previous stumbling blocks. The Goffstown hockey team should set their sights on the ultimate prize, and then work with all of their might to go and earn it.

You can read that whole article here if you would like to.

 

 

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A new hockey season is upon us. And I think in two lines of thought. Or better yet, two paths of words shared long, long ago.

I think of ‘hope springs eternal in the hockey players chest’. Slight alteration there.

I think of Roger Waters writing lyrics about taking charge of one’s own destiny versus preparing to deal with what comes next with words like this…

“…Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
Fritter and waste the hours in an off-hand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun…”

 

Or it might sound like this.

 

“Ticking away the moments that make up a dull play
Another wasted chance because a pass didn’t come this way
Skating around on a patch of ice in your own end
Waiting for someone else, our net to defend

Tired of waiting for the quick pass that never comes
I am young and could be great were it not for these bums
And then after one period you find you’re down three scores
Not seizing each of the moments that are solely yours”

 

 

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Goffstown outshot the War Hawks 28-16 in the game. I would even say that the Grizzlies carried the play for the most part in the first and third periods. But the Merrimack War Hawks hockey co-op group won the ‘hard work’ aspect of the game. To the aggressors go the spoils. The pride manifested in hard treatment of the opponent by the aggressors is often in proportion to the tameness of the sufferer. In other words control your own destiny. Go with all that you can muster, and take it! Shift after shift.

The visiting Goffstown Grizzlies came into West Side Arena and outshot last season’s #1 seed, 14-4 in the first period. After fifteen minutes though, they were 0-2 on the power play, and the game was still scoreless.

Three mistakes in 10:04 that deemed the other 34:56 unnecessary:

1. The Goffstown Grizzlies were going on the power play, for about four seconds. Then they were called for an unsportsmanlike penalty that matched the penalties up. No power play. Seconds later, a clearing attempt or pass, was ill-advised (with a teammate just a few feet away in support) and went for an icing call. The War Hawks scored off of the offensive zone face-off.
2. Another clearing attempt bit the Grizzlies immediately. The clear was sent up the middle of the ice with plenty on it, but the puck hit traffic and bounced to a War Hawk player. One of the Goffstown defenseman was still way up the ice after delivering a big hit. But now a forward was playing D and the pieces were in different places. Blake Beaulieu’s shot hit the GHS forward’s skate and glanced past Bennett in net.
3. Goffstown had the puck along their own half wall with time and space, not a lot of time, but time nevertheless. Instead of taking a stride or two to break out the puck, a long drive to deep right field was going, going, gone, foul by a few feet outside the foul pole. I mean, a home run pass was way off the mark and resulted in another unnecessary icing. The Merrimack War Hawks had another offensive zone face-off. The home team won the face-off initially before Goffstown took possession. But that possession lasted for a few seconds (one against two) and the War Hawks centered a pass to the slot just outside the crease. Before the lone defender could react to the pass, Will Farrell had already one-timed the puck into the net. Two Grizzlies forwards in the corner and one defenseman in no man’s land allowed a pass, one-timer, and score just seconds after Goffstown had the puck.

 

 

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Goffstown Grizzlies at Merrimack – Hollis-Brookline – Derryfield School, aka Merrimack War Hawks or MHBDS – 12/16/2024.

West Side Arena, Manchester, NH.

NHIAA Hockey: Game One.

Monday, December 16, 2024

West Side Arena, Manchester, NH.

Scoring:

Goffstown Grizzlies: 00 – 01 – 01 = 02

Merrimack War Hawks: 00 – 03 – 00 = 03

 

NHIAA Hockey:

Shots on goal:

Goffstown Grizzlies: 14 – 08 – 06 = 28

Merrimack War Hawks: 04 – 06 – 06 = 16

 

Goffstown Grizzlies Penalties:

1. Diodati – 2:00 – Cross-Checking.
2. Hill – 2:00 – Unsportsmanlike.
3. Hill – 10:00 – Misconduct.

 

Goffstown was 0-for-3 on the power play, while the War Hawks were 0-for-1.

 

• Goffstown Grizzlies – Kyle Bennett (So.) made 13 saves on 16 shots (.813).
• Merrimack War Hawks – James Brew made 26 saves on 28 shots (.929).

 

Here is how the Grizzlies scored their goals.

1. 2nd 9:30  – After a little hiccup at the blue line, Tyler Lessard sent the puck into the zone on to Zack Tarrier’s stick. Tarrier returned the puck with a backhand pass to Lessard in the circle. Lessard fired as the D closed in on him, low shot far side. Score! Even – T. Lessard from Tarrier. Down, 2-1. 
2. 3rd 14:11 – The Grizzlies pulled Kyle Bennett from the net to gain the extra attacker. With an offensive zone face-off Goffstown was looking to cut the deficit then attempt a hail Mary to tie it. Tarrier tried a couple of saucer passes to the slot but they were returned. Then Lessard skated behind the net and backhanded a pass into the crease where Sam Chapman chipped the puck into the net with 48.3 seconds left to play. Extra – S. Chapman from T. Lessard and Tarrier. Down, 3-2.

 

You can find news, video, updates, and all kinds of interesting tidbits involving Goffstown hockey here, Goffstown Grizzlies Hockey.

 

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I enjoy history and Scripture among other things.

In recent history, the late, great USA Hockey coach, Herb Brooks said, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard”. It’s a great point. Get to work.

If you are struggling with working hard for yourself, your teammates, or just in general then the following might be a pretty good reason to pick up the pace in all things.

Scripture says, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men”. Put your full effort into everything you do, as if you are working directly for God. Colossians 3:23  “Heartily”: As in do things vigorously, with dedication.

 

 

 

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The thoughts and opinions expressed here are those of the individual contributors, mostly mine, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the schools, coaches, players, or characters listed in any of these blog posts. Or, maybe they do, but you would have to ask them directly.

Either way, “It’s a great day for hockey” ~ the late “Badger” Bob Johnson.